Jail Rant
Ok, so I am going to put this behind the cut because I am going to rant about the treatment of prisoners in jail...and I know it's a touchy subject with some folks...
Ok, so I was reading something about where STATE DEATH ROW inmates in Texas ended up with contraband telephones, and ended up reading the discussion afterwards. I ended up so ANGRY I just wanted to THROTTLE some close minded ignorant people.
It makes me sad. Yes, I don't think fucking DEATH ROW inmates should have special privlidges, but many people went on to say that people who are in a County jail system shouldn't even be allowed to use the phone or things of that nature.
Do they not realize there are THOUSANDS of people SITTING in County jails WAITING for trails for crimes they may or MAY NOT have commited. In Harris County, Texas, the average time for a felony case to go to trial is TWO YEARS. If you are innocent, you can SIT IN JAIL JUST LIKE A REGULAR INMATE WHO HAS BEEN CONVICTED for over TWO YEARS just waiting to go to trial.
I have had people say "well, you can file for a "speedy trial"..." Yep, you sure can. Guess what? Those cases end up taking EVEN longer.
I realize my situation is a little different because he DID have the money to bond and could be out here in the real world while waiting for trial, and was an IDIOT and threw that away.
HOWEVER, say we didn't have the money - and a lot of people DON'T have 3-15K to just lay down on a bond, PLUS pay a Lawyer 5 x's that amount. Innocent person SITS in jail for that time period. When they are found innocent, do you think they get that time back? Do they get compensated for the loss of life, work, time with their family....? Nope.
...and when I say SIT IN JAIL...I mean that. There is no "special" place for people who haven't been tried yet. They are in lock up with the regular guys who have been found guilty. They don't get any special priviledges. Their families have to fork out a LOT of money just to be able to talk to them on the phone, send them letters, send them money so that they can buy BASIC HYGEINE PRODUCTS - i.e. shampoo and DEODORANT.
They don't get to go outside and see the sunshine. It takes an act of congress just to get a book sent to them so that they can pass the time without losing their minds.
I'm pissed off at the whole system. You are GUILTY GUILTY GUILTY until proven innocent...not to mention they pre-judge you. If you have long hair and tats, guilty. If you have a record (of ANY kind), you are automatically a criminal and must be guilty of whatever you are being accused of...even if the types of crimes are SOOOOOOO far at the other end of the spectrum. It's just like saying I am lazy and stupid because I'm fat.
AAAUUGGHHH!!!! Then, often, when their friends and family try and send them letters and little things like song lyrics to try and make their life a little bearable in there...our letters get sent back, with ridiculous things on them like "RTS - NO MUSIC LYRICS ALLOWED". When you call the jail to find out WTF, they talk to you like you are crazy because there IS NO SUCH RULE!!!
Anyway...I am done. I just had to VENT! AUGH!
Ok, so I was reading something about where STATE DEATH ROW inmates in Texas ended up with contraband telephones, and ended up reading the discussion afterwards. I ended up so ANGRY I just wanted to THROTTLE some close minded ignorant people.
It makes me sad. Yes, I don't think fucking DEATH ROW inmates should have special privlidges, but many people went on to say that people who are in a County jail system shouldn't even be allowed to use the phone or things of that nature.
Do they not realize there are THOUSANDS of people SITTING in County jails WAITING for trails for crimes they may or MAY NOT have commited. In Harris County, Texas, the average time for a felony case to go to trial is TWO YEARS. If you are innocent, you can SIT IN JAIL JUST LIKE A REGULAR INMATE WHO HAS BEEN CONVICTED for over TWO YEARS just waiting to go to trial.
I have had people say "well, you can file for a "speedy trial"..." Yep, you sure can. Guess what? Those cases end up taking EVEN longer.
I realize my situation is a little different because he DID have the money to bond and could be out here in the real world while waiting for trial, and was an IDIOT and threw that away.
HOWEVER, say we didn't have the money - and a lot of people DON'T have 3-15K to just lay down on a bond, PLUS pay a Lawyer 5 x's that amount. Innocent person SITS in jail for that time period. When they are found innocent, do you think they get that time back? Do they get compensated for the loss of life, work, time with their family....? Nope.
...and when I say SIT IN JAIL...I mean that. There is no "special" place for people who haven't been tried yet. They are in lock up with the regular guys who have been found guilty. They don't get any special priviledges. Their families have to fork out a LOT of money just to be able to talk to them on the phone, send them letters, send them money so that they can buy BASIC HYGEINE PRODUCTS - i.e. shampoo and DEODORANT.
They don't get to go outside and see the sunshine. It takes an act of congress just to get a book sent to them so that they can pass the time without losing their minds.
I'm pissed off at the whole system. You are GUILTY GUILTY GUILTY until proven innocent...not to mention they pre-judge you. If you have long hair and tats, guilty. If you have a record (of ANY kind), you are automatically a criminal and must be guilty of whatever you are being accused of...even if the types of crimes are SOOOOOOO far at the other end of the spectrum. It's just like saying I am lazy and stupid because I'm fat.
AAAUUGGHHH!!!! Then, often, when their friends and family try and send them letters and little things like song lyrics to try and make their life a little bearable in there...our letters get sent back, with ridiculous things on them like "RTS - NO MUSIC LYRICS ALLOWED". When you call the jail to find out WTF, they talk to you like you are crazy because there IS NO SUCH RULE!!!
Anyway...I am done. I just had to VENT! AUGH!